He leaned in close and whispered into her ear, “Believe me. I haven’t forgotten a thing.”

She flinched, turning toward him, and his lips were so close to hers. Don’t kiss me. Her heart turned over in response, and darn if her hand wasn’t shaking. Her brain was saying no, but in the moment it might have been so nice. Stay focused.

She pushed the balloon over the nozzle, hoping Andrew wouldn’t notice her trembling and get the wrong idea.

He filled the balloon and tugged the end to tie the knot, then filled one more and tied the two together, making a circle smaller than the size of the cake, but big enough for the sculpted fish to jump through.

“That’s what’ll keep the hot sugar from bursting the balloons when we pour the mixture over it to form the rounded splash.” He looked up and made a funny face. “Hopefully.”

She grabbed a bottle of coconut oil. “Might as well hedge all of our bets. Maybe this will help keep it from sticking.” She poured a generous amount over the water balloon.

“Good idea.”

She capped the oil bottle and set it aside. “This is turning into a science project. All we’re missing is those goofy goggles like we had to wear in lab class.”

“I hated those things, but you were pretty cute in them.” He helped her at the stove until they got the mixture just right. “Want to do the honors?”

“Let me watch and learn,” she said. “What’s plan B if it doesn’t work?”

“It’ll work.” He took the pan of hot, sticky sugar and splashed it all at one time into the center of the circle they’d made with the balloons.

The thick mess clung to the balloon and dripped over the rounded shape.

“I honestly can’t believe this is going to work.” There’d been a time when they’d spend all day creating in the kitchen. She’d almost forgotten how much fun that was.

“Be ready to be amazed. It’s going to look awesome.”

“Meanwhile, I’ll do what I do best.” She removed the cake from the fish molds and covered it in sculpting chocolate. It didn’t take her long to carve the fins and scales into the chocolate. She’d done these dozens of times. Then she took the drab brown fish over to the table where her airbrush was hooked up. In just a few minutes she was set and airbrushing layers of edible colors. First base colors of browns and greens, then on to the shimmering colors that would make the fish really come alive.

“It looks like taxidermy instead of cake,” he said. “Nobody’s going to want to eat it.”

“That’s what I’m going for.” Looks too good to eat was her favorite compliment.